Administration Block, City Hospital, Urquhart Road, Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Aberdeen

Description

William Smith, 1874-77; extended and enlarged by John Rust, 1892. Administration block to centre flanked to W and E by pavilions, N lodge and gatepiers to N of reception block, smaller E lodge. Tooled coursed grey granite ashlar to principal elevation of reception block and N lodge, Aberdeenbond granite to remainder; finely finished margins.

ADMINISTRATION BLOCK

Predominantly by John Rust. 2-storey with 3-storey central bay to principal elevation and addition to rear, 9-bay with French detailing. Base course; cill courses; eaves course; balustraded parapet to principal elevation; channelled rustication to quoins.

NE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: near-symmetrical; 3-storey central bay forming tower at 2nd floor, flanked by finely finished pilasters with channelled rustication and fluted decoration to 2nd floor; decoratively architraved bipartite window to centre of ground floor, round-arched tripartite window to 1st floor with segmentalarched hoodmould; tripartite window to 2nd floor; eaves blocking course, with clock set in round-arch to centre flanked to left and right by granite urns; square-plan truncated domed green fishscale slate roof, with decorative iron brattishing and weathervane to apex, oculus timber dormer to each elevation of roof. Glazed timber doorway to ground floor of flanking bay to right, with modern flat-roofed porch oversailing; regular fenestration to ground and 1st floors of remaining bays to left and right.

NW ELEVATION: near-symmetrical; 7-bay; 5 bays to central block, regular fenestration to ground and 1st floors, gabled bay flanking to outer left, window to centre of ground and 1st floors; gabled bay to outer right, survival of William Smith's hospital, single window off-centre to left of ground floor of bay to outer right.

SW ELEVATION: originally fronted by principal elevation of William Smith's hospital, predominantly demolished late 20th century; near-symmetrical; 3-storey gabled bay advanced to centre, blank modern harled wall; near-regular fenestration to ground and 1st floors of 3-bay left and right returns, 2 bipartite windows to 2nd floor of left return, single bipartite window to 2nd floor of right return; modern harled addition to re-entrant angle to right obscuring recessed bays; 3 recessed bays to left, modern timber door to right of ground floor, regular fenestration to remainder.

SE ELEVATION: near-symmetrical; 7-bay; 5-bays to central block, window to centre of ground floor corniced with consoles, regular fenestration to remainder, 2 granite tablets to 1st floor; gabled bay flanking to outer right, regular fenestration to ground and 1st floors; gabled bay to outer left, survival of William Smith's hospital, regular fenestration to ground and 1st floors.

Predominantly 2-pane and 4-pane timber sash and case windows. Coped granite skews with decorative skewputts. Grey slate roof with lead ridges. Corniced granite wallhead, gablehead and ridge stacks with decorative square-plan cans. Predominantly cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: not seen 2000.

PAVILIONS

William Smith, extended by John Rust, 1892; 20th century additions

and alterations. 2 Italianate pavilions flanking reception block to NW and SE. Predominantly single storey, H-plan. Base course; eaves course; narrow windows.

NE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATIONS: asymmetrical; 6-bay inner pavilions, William Smith, 2 central bays with regular fenestration, angled bays with window to each at left and right adjoining 2-storey square-plan Italianate towers advanced to left and right, regular fenestration to ground floors, 2 round-arched windows to each elevation of 1st floors, infilled to SE pavilion, overhanging eaves, shallow pyramidal lead roofs. Deeply recessed bays linking to single storey, 3-bay outer blocks, extended by John Rust; bowed 4-light central bay with decoratively scalloped parapet, flanked to left and right by 3 windows.

NW, SW AND SE ELEVATIONS: predominantly regular fenestration, variety of harled additions and alterations.

Predominantly replacement glazing. Grey slate roofs with lead ridges. Corniced wallhead, gablehead and ridge stacks. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIORS: not seen 2000.

NORTH LODGE

John Rust, 1892. Single storey, 2-bay lodge to N of reception block. Base course; panelled aprons to windows at ground floor; eaves course; overhanging eaves.

SE (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: asymmetrical; bay to right advanced, 3-light canted window to centre; square-plan 2-storey entrance tower to re-entrant angle to left, segmentalarched doorway

to ground floor, panelled timber door with letterbox fanlight, 3 round-arched windows to 1st floor, window to ground floor of left return, 3 round-arched windows to 1st floor above, shallow pyramidal roof with iron weathervane to apex; window to recessed bay to left.

NE ELEVATION: blank; adjoining boundary wall to left and right (see below).

NW ELEVATION: not seen 2000.

SW ELEVATION: symmetrical; single bay, broad window to centre; flat-roofed harled addition adjoining to outer left.

Predominantly modern PVCu windows. Piended grey slate roof with lead ridges. Coped stacks breaking pitch with circular and octagonal cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: not seen 2000.

EAST LODGE

John Rust, 1892. Single storey lodge to E of SE pavilion (former waiting room). Base course; panelled aprons to windows; eaves course; overhanging eaves.

SE (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: near-symmetrical; entrance bay advanced to centre, timber pilastered doorway with timber door, letterbox fanlight, windows to left and right returns; windows to flanking bays to left and right.

NE AND NW ELEVATIONS: not seen 2000.

SW ELEVATION: bay with 3 windows advanced to left, right return and flanking bay to right blank.

2-pane timber sash and case windows. Piended grey slate roof with lead ridges. Coped stack breaking pitch, with decorative square-plan can. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: not seen 2000.

GATEPIERS, BOUNDARY WALLS AND RAILINGS: 4 square-plan granite gatepiers to NE of reception block, corniced necks and pyramidal caps, light fitting surmounting inside pier to W, removed from pier to E; low wall surmounted by railings adjoining North Lodge to W; high rubble walls with pointed coping flanking gatepiers to E and W, low coped Aberdeenbond granite wall enclosing narrow strip of garden in front, railings removed. Predominantly low Aberdeenbond granite walls to E of hospital, square-plan gatepiers with pyramidal caps, decorative iron railings. High rubble walls to remainder.

Statement of Interest

The City Hospital, originally a hospital for infectious diseases was established after an outbreak of smallpox in the 1870, which resulted in 163 deaths in Aberdeen. Before the hospital was built, patients with infectious diseases were treated in the Royal Infirmary. In 1874 William Smith was engaged to design a new hospital, before which time patients were housed in a disused match factory. Smith's hospital (some of which remains to the S of the administration block and also part of the pavilions) was constructed of concrete, with no wooden floors or walls, so that wards could be easily hosed down and disinfected. It comprised 4 single storey pavilions (now linked to near H-plan form), a reception block, administration building, laundry and disinfecting station and airing yards to the S. However, the hospital was found to be rather prison-like, and in 1887 wooden floors and panelling were installed. In 1892 the Public Health Committee employed John Rust to extend the City Hospital in line with those in the other major Scottish cities. The architectural interest lies particularly in the main administration block, the Italianate and bow-windowed pavilion blocks, walls, railings and the gate lodges. The historic interest for the city is mentioned above and the use of Smith in 1872 indicates the City's pride in its venture. The firm of Smith & Kelly would be used later to supervise the extension of the City's Royal Infirmary.

External Links

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